Professional Pickleball Comes to Punta Gorda as Part of the Inaugural Season of the PPA Challenger Series Powered by JOOLA

The Professional Pickleball Association is proud to bring the inaugural season of the PPA Tour Challenger Series Powered by JOOLA to Punta Gorda, Florida, on May 23-25 for the Punta Gorda PPA Challenger. The tournament will be held at the Pickleplex in Punta Gorda, and will provide a showcase of the very best that the west coast of Florida has to offer to players and visitors. Bringing together the power of the PPA Tour brand with the grassroots energy and passion of amateur pickleball players, the PPA Challenger Series will create an avenue for players across America to break into professional pickleball and earn their way onto the Carvana PPA Tour. Spanning the country with over a dozen tour stops in 2025, the series will feature amateur and aspiring professional pickleball players battling for victory and chasing their dreams.
With a commitment to fostering growth and development within the pickleball community, the introduction of the PPA Challenger Series aims to nurture emerging talent, encourage
participation, and ultimately expand the sport into new frontiers.


CHALLENGER SERIES DETAILS:
● To participate in a Challenger Series event, a Pro Division Player cannot be ranked in the Top 20 in PPA Tour at the close of entry. Any pro player outside the PPA Top 20 is eligible to play.
● The top 16 Challenger Series events played will count toward a player’s Challenger Series leaderboard ranking.
● Each Challenger Series event winner can choose one PPA Tour Open event for entry into the main draw (max of two challenger winners per draw per tournament).
● Challenger Series points count in the Carvana PPA Tour rankings but ranking points earned on the PPA Tour do NOT count toward Challenger Series standings.
● The points structure is as follows:


○ Winner – 125 points
○ Finalist – 100 points
○ Third – 75 points
○ Fourth – 50 points
○ Quarterfinals – 25 points
○ Round of 16 – 12 points
○ Round of 32 – 6 points
○ Round of 64 – 3 points


Each Challenger Series stop will feature a $10,000 prize purse for the pro divisions For further information, please visit the PPA Challenger Series website or click here.

“We have been excited to create more grassroots opportunities for amateur players as well as a structured pathway to the Carvana PPA Tour for aspiring professionals for a long time and we have done just that with the Challenger Series Powered by JOOLA,” says Connor Pardoe, the Founder & CEO of the Carvana PPA Tour. “This new tour will not only elevate the level of play but also inspire and motivate amateurs to reach new heights in their pickleball journey while bringing the PPA Tour’s brand of electric pickleball action to new levels of intensity.”

The PicklePlex of Punta Gorda is a premier destination for pickleball enthusiasts to enjoy state- of-the-art facilities, including professional-grade courts. It is committed to promoting the growth of pickleball across the globe and is a place where players from around the world come to experience the camaraderie and competition that pickleball offers. View our PicklePlex “We are humbled and excited to partner with the PPA-Professional Pickleball Association on their inaugural Challenger Tournament Series. The Pickleplex of Punta Gorda will provide a great experience for all athletes and fans and the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach destination will create a memorable experience for all involved. We continue to be a top destination for those looking for an experience that offers all the best of Florida’s wonderful outdoor adventures and laid-back lifestyle,” said Sean Walter, Sales/Sports Business Development Director of the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Conventions Bureau. With 500-750 expected participants, the Punta Gorda PPA Challenger Series event is estimated to bring in around $800,000 of revenue to the area with the lodging, retail and food and beverage categories providing the highest local economic impact.

In addition to the competitive interest and appeal, each PPA Challenger event will have a $10,000 prize pool. Participants in the Punta Gorda PPA Challenger are encouraged to continually stay tuned for the latest information as it becomes available. Registration and hotel information will be made available soon. Amateur registration is OPEN TO ALL and we encourage everyone interested in playing to register TODAY! Hotel blocks around the venues will be available for participants and attendees to take advantage of. There will also be a shuttle service provided for attendees to safely and efficiently arrive at the facility. Special accommodation rates are available at surrounding hotels. The schedule for PPA Challenger Series events will be Friday through Sunday, and professionals will run on the same schedule as amateurs.


Friday – Men’s and Women’s Singles
Saturday – Gender Doubles
Sunday – Mixed Doubles


Ticketing for the PPA Challenger Series will be powered by TIXR. All pro and amateur players will receive a grounds pass with their fee to participate in the event. There will also be $15 grounds pass tickets for sale to friends, family and fans. Please click here to purchase tickets.

Championships Court action from each tournament will be streamed LIVE on the NEW Tennis Channel App and the PPA Tour YouTube Channel. For further event information, media credentialing, interviews with players and tour executives, or anything else under the sun, please email Nathan Boschult. The Punta Gorda PPA Challenger Powered by JOOLA promises to be an exhilarating experience for amateur players, offering them an incredible opportunity to take their game to the next level alongside aspiring professionals seeking to join the ranks of the world’s preeminent pickleball tour. With its enthusiastic grassroots approach and commitment to growing the sport, the PPA Challenger Series is set to make a lasting impact on the western Florida pickleball community.

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